This invention relates to a mounting of and the latches on a side panel of a tractor in the area of the engine of the tractor. The side panel has horizontal flanges at its upper and lower edges. The lower flange has openings along the flange to receive lugs on the tractor for mounting the lower portion of the shield on the tractor. Adjacent the upper flange of the panel are one or more latches that hold the upper portion of the panel on the tractor. Each latch is composed of a formed channel with one long and one short leg. A hole is punched through both legs with a nut welded to the long leg. A cap screw is inserted through the side shield and both channel legs so that the long leg is away from the panel. As the cap screw is tightened, the long leg is drawn up to the mating part, in this case the inner surface of the hood portion of the tractor. As the cap screw is loosened, the long leg of the channel relaxes moving away from the mating part. A lock nut is added to the end of the cap screw to prevent the first time user from backing the cap screw completely out when it is desired to remove the shield.
The upper edge of the short leg is positioned adjacent the upper flange on the shield. One corner of the upper edge is rounded and the cap screw is positioned on the channel so that it is relatively close to the side of the channel under the rounded corner. The purpose of having the rounded corner is to permit the cap screw, when it is being tightened in order to reduce the distance between the two leg portions, to shift the channel vertically and to have the rounded corner miss the flange until the other corner or edge contacts the lower surface of the flange on the shield. Conversely, when it is decided to loosen the channel, the rounded corner swings clear of the flange.
One of the important advantages of the present latch mechanism is the appearance it gives to the shield or panel when the latches are positioned for latching. A simple latch with an external handle would be clearly visible to a typical vandal. However, the side shield attachment of this invention gives a conventional bolted joint appearance which is beyond the intent level of the typical vandal out to simply cause damage.
Another advantage is that the head of the cap screw or bolt is sized for commonly carried open-end wrenches or an adjustable wrench. No keys are required. Wrench turning is minimized since the part is so balanced that drag between the screw and nut will rotate the latch both when loosening and tightening. All the parts are fixed to the side panel assembly thereby eliminating loose and lost hardware when the panel is removed.